How to “Clip & Flip”

• Fact: It’s great when all your seams nest together because you pressed correctly.

• Fact: No matter how you press, sometimes there will be a place where the seams won’t nest. In the photo below, you can see that both seam allowances are toward the right. It would be so much easier if one was toward the left.

Both seam allowances are toward the right. Not good!

• Fact: There’s an easy fix for that!

I call it “Clip & Flip.” You may be surprised at how simple and effective this method is. Let me show you how it works.

About 1" down from the patch edges, clip carefully into the seam allowance.

About 1″ down from the patch edges as shown above, clip carefully into the seam allowance on one of the rows. (Be certain you do not clip too deeply—you don’t want to clip into the actual stitches.)

Flip the 1" portion to the left.

Flip the 1″ portion to the left. Now the seam allowances nest nicely! The one you flipped is toward the left, and the one behind is still to the right.

Now the seam allowances nest nicely!

Add a pin to match the seams perfectly and sew. Just an easy little trick to make everything nest beautifully.

About Diane Harris

I'm an editor for Quiltmaker magazine in Golden, Colorado, USA. For six years, I wrote pattern instructions, product reviews and how-to articles. Then I spent four years as QM's Interactive Editor, working to generate much of our online content. Now I'm back to patterns and how-tos, which is a great fit for me. I still love writing about quilt-related topics for Quilty Pleasures, and I always have my finger on the pulse of the quilting world. I teach a variety of quilt classes and give guild programs, too. Reach me by email: editor@quiltmaker.com.

6 Responses to How to “Clip & Flip”

So happy i ran across this tip. I was just fighting last night with the sameproblem and not really brave enough to adjust it. Thanks for the tip and encouragement that some ideas don’t have to meet the norm

I just learned the trick (such as on a four patch) where can take a few stitches out at the seam intersection, then can nest if turn one part of the seam up, and the other down. Thanks for the go ahead that clipping is an acceptable technique.